Department: Collections 
Title: Assistant Registrar
Status: Full Time; Overtime Exempt 
Work Schedule: Generally, comprises ten eight hour days in a two-week period.  Some evening hours or weekend days may be required.   
Travel: 0 – 10% 

Job Summary: The Assistant Registrar assists the Collections Manager with day-to-day registration duties and management and care of the permanent collection and historic spaces. The Assistant Registrar supports collections and registration activities including, but not limited to, database management, loan management, object photography, integrated pest management, inventories, and exhibition installations and de-installations. Works as part of a team with Collections, Curatorial, and Archives and Special Collections staff. Works closely with staff from other departments as well.
 
Organizational Relationships 

• Reports to Collections Manager  
• Interacts with staff, volunteers, interns, contractors, and colleagues from other institutions. 

Key Job Elements

• Act as co-administrator of the collections database (TMS). Assist with establishing standards and statements of procedure for data entry. Regularly enter data into database fields and create records. Continued clean-up from Rediscovery (Hillwood’s previous collections database) to TMS conversion from 2019. 
• Track object movements and record them in TMS. Verify and resolve location issues in the database when reported/observed.
• Assist with facilitating incoming and outgoing loans, including making shipping arrangements, generating and/or reviewing paperwork (loan agreements, receipts, etc.), overseeing packing/unpacking when requested, and condition reporting.
• Assist with facilitating requests to view objects from curatorial staff and outside researchers. 
• Assist with facilitating receipt of acquisitions including making shipping arrangements, receiving shipments, condition reporting, and creating records in TMS. 
• Manage pest control procedures by coordinating with Facilities and outside contractors to conduct monthly walkthroughs of mansion and art storage spaces and also placing and monitoring pest traps in exhibition galleries. 
• Assist with coordinating and supervising object photography when working with an outside photographer. Assist with in-house photography sessions in an effort to continue with large-scale digitization efforts. Work with Digital Asset Manager to add images in TMS and digital asset databases.  
• Assist team with 2 temporary exhibitions and 2-3 Mansion rotations per year, including consolidating and distributing lists, updating calendars for install/de-install days, and participating in and tracking object movements, and updating TMS.
• Maintain paper object files. 
• Assist in the periodic and annual inventory of the collections. 
• Supervise outside contractors in storage, mansion, and exhibition spaces when requested.
• Perform other duties as needed. 

Knowledge/Skills/Ability 

• Bachelor’s degree in Art, Art History, Museum Studies, Arts Administration or closely related field from an accredited college or university. Master’s degree in Museum Studies preferred.  
• 2-4 years of museum registration/collections management experience required. Experience in a historical institution a plus.
• Related experience includes TMS database, loan procedures, object cataloging, object handling, collections digitization, pest monitoring, familiarity with standard collections forms and procedures, condition reporting. 
• Knowledge of art handling techniques required.
• Computer proficiency and knowledge is critical, including TMS and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook required; SharePoint, One Drive, Teams preferred or willingness to learn).
• Experience with and knowledge of the management of fine and decorative art collections a plus. 
• Effective and professional telephone and e-mail skills for business communications and coordination are essential. 
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills such as the ability to work daily and problem-solve with the team, communicate and work with grace under pressure, adapt to various work styles of managers, and exercise discretion.  
• Ability to problem solve and work independently.
• Conscientious, self-motivated, resourceful, flexible, and punctual. Ability to communicate effectively, remain organized, and perform duties in a professional manner.  

Work Environment and Physical Conditions:
The physical requirements and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job or may be encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. 
 
The employee is regularly required to communicate professionally in person, over the telephone, through email and other electronic means, move about their work area, between buildings and the campus grounds, handle various types of media and equipment, and visually or otherwise identify, observe, and assess. The employee is occasionally required to lift up to 15 pounds.    
 
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with a disability to perform the essential functions to the extent Hillwood may do so without undue hardship. The term “qualified individual with a disability” means an individual who with or without reasonable accommodation can perform the essential functions of the position.     
 
Notice:
The preceding job description indicates the general nature and essential duties and responsibilities of work performed by employees within this classification. It may not contain a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees to do this job. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time nor does it proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. This job description is subject to change at any time.